1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a confidential documents management system to manage confidential documents printed by using an image forming apparatus connected through a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, in recent years, there is an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, a printer function or an image filing function. Besides, the image forming apparatus as stated above is connected to an arbitrary number of personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs) and the outside through, for example, a network. Further, the image forming apparatus as stated above executes a print processing in accordance with a print request from the PC connected through the network.
The user performs the print processing of documents having high confidentiality by the image forming apparatus as the need arises. In the print processing of the documents having high confidentiality, the processing is performed using a shredder or overlap printing function, so that another person can not confirm the information. However, information such as the history of printing or copying of the confidential documents is not managed, they are easily copied by another person, and the information is leaked. With respect to the information leak, information (printing date, the number of prints, the remaining printable number of sheets, confidential management number, etc.) of a printing person having printed the confidential documents is printed as a mark or a pattern on the confidential documents, so that the copy of the confidential documents is restricted. Further, the information of the printing person is managed by the image forming apparatus or an external storage apparatus. However, since the deletion of the past data history is inconsistent with the disposal of the confidential documents, there has been a problem that management can not be performed as to whether the confidential documents have been disposed of or remain printed.
Accordingly, the invention provides a confidential documents management system to manage confidential documents and history data of printing or copying of the confidential documents.